Pittsburgh and University Park, Pa. – The Hofstra Women's Soccer team will begin the 2017 campaign with a pair of games on the road, heading to Pittsburgh for a 7 p.m. contest on Friday before travelling to Penn State to square off with the Nittany Lions at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Both games will be available via live stats and video, with links on the Hofstra Women's Soccer schedule page and this page. Friday's contest at Pittsburgh will be available via ACC Network Extra.
The Pride finished 2016 with a 10-7-1 record, marking the program's 15th consecutive winning season. Hofstra returns three of its top four goal scorers in seniors
Kristin Desmond (6G, 2A) and
Noriana Radwan (6G, 1A) and junior
Madeline Anderson (2G, 1A).
Anderson, a defender who has played a significant role on the Pride's backline since her arrival on campus, was named to the Preseason All-Colonial Athletic Association Team. Desmond had earned All-CAA Third-Team honors at the conclusion of last season.
The Pride also gets back
Jenn Buoncore, a 2015 CAA All-Rookie selection who finished with two goals and five assists that season.
Redshirt-junior
Ashley Wilson will return in net, after splitting time and serving as the Pride's primary first-half goalkeeper a season ago. She posted a .723 save percentage and 1.53 goals-against average in 16 games.
Hofstra also welcomes a talented crop of eight newcomers, featuring six freshmen and two transfers and representing four countries.
The Pride's meeting with Pitt will be just the second in program history. Hofstra took the first meeting, 2-0, in 2003. The Panthers are looking to bounce back from a 2-15-1 season in 2016, which saw Pitt score just eight goals. The ACC, however, is one of the most difficult conferences in women's collegiate soccer.
Sunday's tilt against Penn State will be the fourth time Hofstra has played the Nittany Lions in the past five seasons and sixth time overall. Penn State has won all five previous meetings, including topping Hofstra, 3-1, in the second game of the season last year. The Nittany Lions were ranked No. 2 at the time.
Penn State returns leading scorer Frannie Crouse, who was joined on the 2017 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List by Emily Ogle. Crouse finished with 12 goals and three assists in 2016. Megan Schafer and Charlotte Williams also return, rounding out the Nittany Lions' top three point-producers from a season ago.
The Pride will stay on the road after this weekend, heading to local rival Columbia on Aug. 25 and traveling to Boston University on Aug. 27.
